Wednesday, February 19, 2025

Stained Canvas

 Melissa hosts Poetics In the Pub ~~ she challenges us to explore how our perspectives and biases inform how we might perceive art. Melissa provided artist Emil Nolde's backstory for us and asked we read it prior to diving into our poems ~ asks are colors and  feelings the same after discovering more about him? Does his art tell a new story? Are we as writers separate from what we create?

'Stormy Sea'   c. 1930 - 1940

color bleeds 
saffron, vermilion, bruised blue
a silent storm 
on linen rough
shadows clawing at light

a man can paint beauty
yet still be stained
a painting can glow with spirit
yet bear the weight of silence
color will not absolve






Posted by Helen at 10:38 AM
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15 comments:

  1. Katerinas BlogFebruary 19, 2025 at 10:47 AM

    Wonderful full of bright colors and emotions!!
    Good night Helen!

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  2. SheilaFebruary 19, 2025 at 10:51 AM

    Very good! " ... shadows clawing at light"

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  3. Merril D. SmithFebruary 19, 2025 at 12:05 PM

    An evocative poem, so well expressed, Helen! I love all the colors.

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  4. AnonymousFebruary 19, 2025 at 12:30 PM

    A wonderful poem, Helen. You have said it very well! You closing is very powerful!
    I also love this image: ...rough shadows clawing at light

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  5. Melissa LemayFebruary 19, 2025 at 2:27 PM

    Those last three lines especially hit home.

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  6. Kim M. RussellFebruary 20, 2025 at 12:34 AM

    Your title is so apt, Helen, and I love the opening line, the ‘silent storm on linen rough’, and the colours. I agree, ‘a man can paint beauty yet still be stained’.

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  7. AnonymousFebruary 20, 2025 at 7:17 AM

    Hi Helen, I love your collage of colours poem. Robbie Cheadle

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  8. PInkFebruary 20, 2025 at 8:12 AM

    you hit this one out of the ballpark! i loved this interpretation.

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  9. paeansunpluggedFebruary 20, 2025 at 9:56 AM

    Brava! So well said, Helen! Love it.

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  10. Ain - УжгородFebruary 20, 2025 at 11:52 AM

    Aye.......the 2nd stanza........everything came home, word by word.....the first two lines of the 2nd stanza would make such a great discussion, Really liked this very much Helen..

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  11. Yvette M CalleiroFebruary 20, 2025 at 12:57 PM

    That was phenomenal, Helen! I loved it!

    Yvette M Calleiro :-)
    http://yvettemcalleiro.blogspot.com

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  12. Frewin55February 21, 2025 at 3:48 AM

    The two stanzas serve as the before and after of Melissa's prompt Helen, I especially liked
    "a man can paint beauty
    yet still be stained"...

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  13. purplepeninportland.comFebruary 22, 2025 at 5:36 PM

    Those last three lines added such power to this poem, Helen.

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  14. pvcann.comFebruary 23, 2025 at 3:30 AM

    A stellar poem Helen, the joy of colour followed by the observation of lasting stain

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  15. grapelingFebruary 26, 2025 at 10:33 AM

    wise and true ~

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I appreciate each of you and the comments you leave ~~ thanks so much.

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